Special Categories for Green Card Applicants

By David S Caldwell
Many people choose to become a permanent resident of the United States to expand their rights or to remain in the country they have come to know through employment, education, visiting, etc. Because most people come to the U.S. for family and employment reasons, these are two of the three main categories of green card applicants, with the other being applicants for permanent asylum. However, there are other special categories that green card applicants can choose.

No matter if you are applying for a green card through work, family, or other reasons, there are many different requirements that one must meet to become a permanent resident of the United States. For instance, green cards through employment may be based on investment in a U.S. company, a job offer in the U.S., and other reasons for application. This same scrutiny of eligibility applies to special category applicants.

When the U.S. allows people to apply for permanent residency under special categories, these categories are typically highly restrictive with specific requirements. These special categories, and some basic requirements for application, include the following:

* Amerasian child of a U.S. citizen - fathered by a U.S. citizen in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, or Thailand between January 1, 1951 and October 21, 1982
* Armed Forces member - non-U.S. citizens who enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces and served with distinction for a certain period of time
* Lautenberg parolee - for people to be admitted to the U.S. on a humanitarian basis from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, or other former Soviet Union countries
* Afghan/Iraqi translator - a special category of job for those who apply for permanent residency through their work
* Special immigrant juvenile - placed in the custody of a U.S. juvenile court or detention system

There are many more special categories, some involving certain asylum statuses and others regarding heritage, employment, and special family circumstances. It is important that you talk to an immigration attorney to determine the best path for your application for permanent residency.